Racecourse revamp falls at the final hurdle

Published on Thursday 16 August 2007 00:21

A CONTROVERSIAL plan to install Scotland's first floodlit, all-weather track at a historic east of Scotland racecourse was "dead in the water" last night.

Ministers yesterday refused to allow the ambitious 11 million proposal to redevelop Musselburgh racecourse to go ahead, backing the rejection of the scheme by the official Reporter.

In a 99-page judgment issued yesterday, Philip Hutchinson, who conducted the public inquiry, said that light from the 30-metre high floodlights planned for the course would have damaged the environment in nearby lagoons, which are home to large numbers of birds.

He ruled that it would not be possible to reduced the "overpowering" impact of the floodlights on nearby listed buildings and that they would have a "substantial and detrimental effect" on the "gateway" views of Musselburgh from the south-east.

Mr Hutchinson said plans to extend the racetrack would have had a "serious and irreversible" impact on the golf course on the site, one of the oldest in the world.

Last night, opponents of the plans were jubilant after Stewart Stevenson, the minister for planning in the Executive, supported the Reporter's rejection of the scheme. Ian Colville, the spokesman for HOOL, the Hands Off Our Links campaign,

said: "The plans would have ruined the links, the course and the lagoons area."

He attacked East Lothian Council, which owns the course and was Labour-controlled when the plans were first put forward, for ignoring the views of local people.

He added: "This is a victory for people power. We were brushed aside by the planning committee and it was only when there was a public inquiry that our views were taken seriously."

Last night, the course management was putting a brave face on the decision. Bill Farnsworth, the general manager, said: "We are very disappointed as the proposals would not only have brought major benefits to Musselburgh, but to the Scottish racing industry as a whole."

The board of directors will meet on Monday to discuss the findings before deciding on the way forward.

However, sources close to the course management said that they would not be taking up the option of appealing to the Court of Session.

One source said: "The plan for an all-weather track is dead in the water. We have to accept the democratic process has run its course."